...if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." JFK

Thursday, March 11, 2010

My Proposed Budget Plans

You have to admire the courage of Rep. Paul Ryan's roadmap to fiscal sanity. The guy is actually willing to propose privatizing social security, cutting medicare and cutting taxes (mostly for the rich...see above chart). No wonder other Republicans aren't coming out of the woodwork supporting his propsals. But, he sort of has the right idea.

Here are my budget proposals. First, cut the defense budget 100 billion dollars a year. We spend more on defense than most of the rest of the world combined.

Second, institute a war tax to pay for our ongoing wars. It should be a tax that completely covers waging two wars. Then let's see how much support American's have for those wars.

Third, raise the retirement age at which you can draw full social security. It was raised some time ago to 66. If that one year age increase made such a big difference, an increase to age 67 should be helpful. Also, increase the amount of salary that is taxed for social security.

Fourth, Medicare.....Institute Medicare for all (single-payer). Most of the developed (and even some of the undeveloped) world has done this sucessfully. Why spend so much money on defending our fearful population from terrorist attacks when thousands are dying every year from lack of adequate health care.

Fifth, institute an immediate program to increase the number of college graduates in the USA. Our country is rapidly falling behind as the "go to" country for science and engineering. We need a plan like those put in place after WWII and after the Soviets launched Sputnik.